Structural slab or panel



Jan. 13, 193 1 N. E. NEWMAN 1,789,111

STRUCTURAL SLAB- OR PANEL Filed Sept. 19. 1928 INVENTOR A/affian E. Newman ATTORNEY P amiss to amplify in a Patented Jai. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES- mucrum am on ram' Application am September 19, 1920. Serial 10.306.

My invention relates to the method of manufacturing slabs or dpanels which are essentially waterproof an fireproof, and upon one surface of which appears an exact imi- 6 tation of marble -or ot er atterns. The base material of which the sla are-formedis comminute'd asbestos, preferably combinedwith a suitable binder, and primarily, because of the very reasonable cost of these 10 materials, the finished product is ada ted to eco- ' the basematerial were attacked by moisture,

all of the ayers of coatin subsequentl aplied would rapidly disinegrate and ti render uselessthe very purpose of the slab. So, in this connection, it is not deemed neral way, the manner in which I procee Firstly, the slab is dried for a considerable riod of time. Then it is immersed in a ath of suitable waterproofing preparation, and one which 35 will combine with a filler, such as a-la net". The slab is permitted to remain in this ath until the waterproofing preparation hasvhad an opportunit to penetrate the pores or interstices of t e base material. After conducting a number of experiments I have discovered that vegetable oil, suitably thinned by the addition of naphtha, possesses all of these desirable qualities.

For a more specific ex lication of my'invention, attention is invited to the accom- (pianying drawings, in which the numeral 1 esignates a slab constructed from fine asbestos and any desirable binder. This slab is first dried in an oven for a eriod of approximately 24 hours, after w ch it is imeremersed in a bath comprising an admixture of vegetable oil and a thinner therefor, as na ilhtha. It is allowed to remain in this b t for about one and a half hours, during which. time the liquid penetrates dee ly into the slab from all sides and ends, e ectively occludmg the pores or interstices of the material. The slab is then withdrawn from the bath and the surplus liquid wiped off, whereupon the said slab is subjected'to a further drying extending over a period of about 24 hours. After it has been allowed to cool the slab is put through a sanding mach1ne which serves to elimmate any undulatory surfaces which may be. present, 65 and otherw1se render it comparatively smooth. At this stage of the method very minute depressions remain in the slab but these depressions are filled by the next step which comprises the application of a coat 9 of lacquer 2 while the slab is being fed between two or more rolls, commonly known as a puttying machine. Thereupon the lacquer on the slab is allowed to dry for 7 approximately 24 hours, and two more coats 7 acquer 3 and 4 rayed thereon, or other-' wise suitably apphed, and then dried for 24 hours, this operation reducing what is known as a substantial sanding surface.

By again placing the slab in the sanding machine for a period of two or three minutes, the outer surface is rendered perfectly smooth, and it is only necessary to spray thereon another coat of lacquer 5 and allow it to dry for aboutan hour in order to pro- 35 duce a surface which is eminently suited to receive a pattern 6. This attern'may consist of reproducing by p otogravure the exact brecciated or veined efiect of marble,

,and may even include a diversity of tints and delicate colors which are difi'used through marble in irregular patches. In

any event, the pattern is transferred to the slab, and as a protective coating two additional applications of lacquer 7 and s are 95 made and when these are dry the slab 'i's placed in a polishing machine and very highly polished.

By the method as hereinbefore explained,

I produce a slab or panel which perfectly mo PATENT omen g i entirely sanitary, easily cleaned, and mav be quickly attached to concrete or brick walls by the customary method of furnng, or by'using any suitable plastic compoun I desire to reserve the right to effect such modification as may come airly within the scope of the appended claims. For example, my method is not necessarily restricted to the inclusion of replicas of marble atterns. The slab orpanel'herein descri d-may be employed asa foundation for other reproductions or designs. What I claim is: 1. The herein described method of preparin an imitation marble slab or the like, comnsing the steps of drying an asbestos slab, immersing it in a waterproofing bath, p ermitting it'to dry, applying a filler, applying a coating of lacquer, rendering the lacquered surface smooth, transferring to said surface by photogravure process a facsimile marble pattern, applyin a coating over the pattern, and hi hly polis in said coating.

2. T e method 0 pre aring a decorative slab in imitation of mar le or the like, comprising drying an asbestos base layer, impregnat icg the base with waterproofing material, approximately smoothing a surface of the base, applying to said surface one or more coatings of a filler of character adapted to adhere to the base and water proofing content thereof, smoothing the filler surface, imprinting on the smooth surface a decorative design in imitation of natural marble or the like, and applying over the design a protective coating.

3. The method of preparing a decorative slab in imitation of marble or the like, comprising drying an asbestos baselayer, im-

. pregnating the base with waterproofing maprising thoroughly drying i to adhere to the base ;.and waterproofing.

terial, approximately smoothing a surface of the base, applying to said surface one or more coatings of a filler of character adapted to adhere to the base and water proofing content thereof,'smoothin the filler surface, spraying a thin coating 0 filling material on the smooth surface, imprinting on they smooth surface a decorative desi in imitation of natural'marble or the li e, and apover the design a protective coating.

4. The method of preparing a decorative slab in imitation of mar le or the like, coma base layer consisting of asbestos an inder, impregnating the base with waterproofing material inmean! tive design in imitation .of natural marble or the like, applying over the design a protective coatin and lishing the coating.

5. The met od 0 pre aring a decorative slab in imitation of mar le or the like, comprising thoroughly drying'a base layer consisting of asbestos and a inder, impregnating the base with waterproofing material including'a vegetable oil and a thinner, drying the base, approximately smoothin a surface of the base, applying to said sur ace one or more coatings of a filler of character adapted to adhere to the base and wate roofing content thereof, smoothing the $ler surface, spraying a thin coating of filling material on the smooth surface, imprinting on the smooth surface a decorative desi in imitation of natural marble or the li e, and applying over the design a protective coating.

- 6. s an article of manufacture, a decorative imitation 'marble' slab comprising an asbestos base sheet treated with wate roofing material, a filler coating on a sur ace of the base, a decorative design, imitative of marble or the like imprinted on the filler coating and a transparent protective coating on the design.

7 As an article of manufacture, a decorative imitation marble slab comprising an asbestos base sheet impregnated with waterproofing material, a filler coating on a smoothed surface of the base, a decorative design imitative of marble or the like imprinted on the filler coating, and a polished transparent protective coating on the design.

8. As an article of manufacture, a decorative imitation marble slab comprising a base sheet consisting of asbestos and a filler and impregnated with a vegetable oil, a filler coating of lacquer on a surface of the base, a decorative design imitative of marble or the like imprinted on the filler coating, and a polished transparent protective coating on the design.

Signed at New York city, of New day of August, 1928.

NATHAN E. NEWMAN.

in the county York, State of New York, this 21st eluding a vegetable oil and a thinner, drying the base, approximately smoothin a surface of the base, applying to said sur ace one or more coatings of a filler of character adapted content thereof, smoothing the filler surface, imprinting on the smooth surface a decora- 

